Automatic ladler

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed an automatic ladler for delivering measured quantities of molten metal to a die casting machine, which ladler comprises a ladle adapted to be completely filled and then rotated a predetermined amount for pouring out a measured quantity of the molten metal.

United States Patent on [S41 AUTOMATIC LADLER [72] Inventor: Richard Ott, Baroda, Mich. 49101 [73] Assignee: Respond Inc., Baroda, Mich.

[22] Filed: Dec. 15, 1969 [21] Appl. No.: 885,232

7 Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part ofySer. No. 725,466, April 30, 1968, Pat. No. 3,556,354.

[52] US. Cl "ZZZ/358 [51] Int. Cl. ..B22d 41/04 [58] Field of Search ..141/108, 110, 311, 364, 365; 164/136, 336, 337; 222/166, 167, 172, 173, 356-358, 353, 457, 460-462, 572; 221/262 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,263,275 4/1918 N0rman...,.... ..222/358 1 Sept. 12, 1972 1,265,333 5/1918 Howard; ...222/358 3,398,782 8/1968 Lauterjung ..222/l66 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 588,192 1/1959 Italy ..222/358 Primary Examiner-Edward J. Earls Attorney-Olson, Trexler, Wolters & Bushnell [57] ABSTRACT There is disclosed an automatic ladler for delivering measured quantities of molten metal to a die casting machine, which ladler comprises a ladle adapted to be completely filled and then rotated a predetennined amount for pouring out a measured quantity of the molten metal.

7 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 12 m2 SHEET '4 OF 4 Mfi/OW 104 4 7% WW K/M-QWE AUTOMATIC LADLER This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Ser. No. 725,466, filed Apr. 30, 1968, now US. Pat. No. 3,556,354, issued Jan. 19, 1971.

The present invention relates to an improved ladling apparatus, and more specifically to an improved automatic ladling apparatus particularly suitable for liquid or molten materials such as molten metal and for delivering such material to processing equipment such as to a shot cylinder of a die casting machine.

While the ladling apparatus disclosed in the above mentioned co-pending application is generally successful, the'present invention contemplates certain additional significant advances which will be elaborated on below.

It has been found that in die casting apparatus comprising a shot cylinder for forcing molten metal into dies and ladle means for pouring a quantity of molten metal into the shot cylinder between each casting operation, a portion of the .shot cylinder is gradually eroded due to the'impact and flow of the molten metal poured from the ladle means. It has also been found that when heretofore suggested ladle apparatus is operated at relatively high speedsjthe molten material therein may be sufficiently agitated so as to flow in a relatively inefficient manner 'and in some instances may even splash out of the ladle.

Another problem is created due to the fact that the internal surfaces of the ladling apparatus must be lined approximately every 8 hours with a suitable lining material so as to prevent the internal surfaces from being eroded by the molten metal as well as preventing the molten metal from sticking thereto.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a die casting'apparatus including an automatic ladling means, which installation is constructed so as to minimize erosion of a die-casting machine shot cylinder incorporated therein.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel ladle which allows the ladle apparatus to be operated in an accurate and faster manner while minimizing turbulence in the flow of and possible splashing of the molten metal being processed.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a novel ladle apparatus which is assembled so,

FIG. 2 is a top view of a portion of the die casting in- FIG. 7 is a part sectional view of the ladle member taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a part sectional view of the ladle member taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 6;

' FIG. 9 is a part sectional view of the ladle member taken along lines 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cut out top view of a portion of the ladle apparatus embodying a modified form of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a detailed perspective view of one feature of the ladle apparatus of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a front view of the ladle apparatus of FIG. 10; and,

FIG. 13 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 10.

Referring now to the drawings, an automatic die casting apparatus 9, incorporating features of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1, which apparatus includes a ladling apparatus 10, a die casting machine 12 and a molten metal holding furnace 14. The machine 12 and holding furnace 14 may be of a variety of known constructions and need not be described in detail.

It suffices to state that the die casting machine 12 has a fixed platen l6 and a movable platen 18 adapted to be shifted between the closed position shown in FIG. 1 and an open position, in a known manner. These platens carry complementary die members 20 and 22. In order to introduce molten metal into the closed die, a shot cylinder or sleeve 24 is connected with the fixed platen which sleeve is adapted to receive molten metal from the ladling apparatus as described below. A piston 26 is slideably disposed within the sleeve and is actuated by a mechanism, not shown, for forcing the molten metal from the shot sleeve into the die.

The holding furnace 14 is provided with heating means and suitable controls for maintaining a body of metal in a molten condition. The furnace has an open upper end 28 so that a ladle member of the apparatus 10 may be dipped into the body of molten metal as will be described below.

In the embodiment shown, the ladling apparatus has a base 30 with a downwardly extending stem 32 adapted to be received and vertically adjustably held in a floor mounted stand 34. It is to be understood that, in certain instances, the base 30 may be adapted for mounting directly on a portion of the die casting machine or other equipment in connection with'which it is installed.

Upright bracket member 36 and a similar bracket (not shown) opposite member 36 are welded or otherwise fixed to the base 30 and extend therefrom in spaced apart parallel relationship as shown in FIG. 1. A pivot pin 40 extends through upper ends of the bracket members and pivotally supports an inverted channel member 42 on which is mounted an elongated cylindrical sleeve or bearing housing 44. A fluid pressure actuated cylinder 46 and complementary piston 48 are disposed between the base and channel members and are pivotally connected thereto at 50 and 52. Upon operation of the cylinder in the manner described below, the channel member 42 and the parts carried thereby are adapted to be pivoted about pin 40.

A gear or sprocket 66 is secured to one end portion of a hollow shaft 58 which is disposed with the housing 44 as shown in FIG. 1. An endless chain 68 extends around the sprocket and also around a second sprocket (not shown) fixed on an output shaft (not shown) of a motor 74. The motor 74 is mounted on a platform 76 secured by brackets 78 to the channel member 42. The motor may be of known construction and it may be an electricmotor or a pneumatic or hydraulic fluid motor and is adapted to be controlled for rotating the hollow shaft 58 in the manner described below.

- A tube 80 extends through the hollow shaft. One outwardly extending end of the tube has a flange 82 welded or otherwise fixed thereto for detachably receiving a ladle member 184 as will be described below in accordance with one feature of the present invention. For an additional and more detail disclosure of the structure and operation of the ladling apparatus 10, reference is made to my aforesaid pending application, Ser. No. 725,466.

Referring generally to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, and specifically to FIG. 2, it is to be noted that in accordance with one feature of the present invention the ladling apparatus is positioned slightly forwardly with respect to the outwardly extending free end of shot cylinder 24, as viewed in FIG. 2', so that the tube 80 enters the opening 92 of shot cylinder 24 between a 35 and 50 angle with respect to a vertical plane, designated by numeral 92a, which is perpendicular to the shot cylinder and passes through the free end thereof. The tube 80, while in its entered position within the opening 92 is also inclined slightly downward at approximately a 10 to angle with respect to a horizontal plane containing the longitudinal axis of the shot cylinder, designated by numeral 92b, as seen in FIG. 4.

The opening 92 is of a sufficient size to allow the end portion of the tube 80 to be completely inserted within the shot cylinder whereby the tube substantially rests upon a point 920 at the opening of the shot cylinder as shown in FIG. 4. This arrangement is such that the metal will flow in a forwardly and slightly downwardly direction with respect to the longitudinal shot cylinder axis as seen in FIG. 3, and will impinge upon the curved or cylindrical surface of the far side of the shot cylinder while flowing ina direction also extending at angles of substantially less than 90 to the inner surface. It is particularly to. be noted that the forward and horizontal components of the direction of metal'flow from the ladle tube are such that the metal, upon striking the inner curved shot cylinder surface, tend to travel in a relatively smooth initially somewhat helical path. Thus not only is the force of molten metal impingement against the shot cylinder wall minimized, but possible turbulence in the flow of metal into the shot cylinder is also minimized so as to reduce erosion of the cylinder wall.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 5 to 9 displaying the ladle member 184, which incorporate certain important features of the present invention. The ladle has a unique structure which allows it to be turned much more rapidly without causing turbulence and without Causing a portion of the metal to be thrown from the ladle. This operation as well as the operation of the ladling apparatus as a whole will be more fully discussed below.

The ladle member 184 comprises a flange portion 198 adapted to mate with the previously mentioned flange 82 and a generally helical shaped hollow body portion having an end wall 202 and flow surface 200 and two additional rectangular shaped flange portions 222 located on flange portion 198 on opposite sides of the flow surface thereof. The ladle further comprises an ing 210 located centrally through the flange portion 198 so that the molten liquid may thereafter pass through the flange portion and ultimately to the die casting machine.

The mouth lip 220 comprises a front lip 220a which extends in. a horizontal direction along the front of the body portion, a side lip 220b which extends in a horizontal direction from one end of the front lip 220a and perpendicular therewith, a second side lip 220d which extends upwardly at a slight incline from the other side of said front lip and perpendicular therewith and a back lip 2206 which extends from the otherwise free end of side lip 220b in a horizontal direction and curves down to meet the otherwise free end of side lip 220b.

The discharge opening 210 has an axis of rotation which is perpendicular to the side-wall 202, and the side lips 220b and 220d and parallel to the front lip 220a and back lip 2200 so that molten material which enters the ladle through the mouth 214 will leave the ladle through the discharge opening in a direction perpendicular to that which it entered.

A unique feature of the ladle as discussed above, lies in the design of the flow surface 200. Specifically, this surface is generally spirally constructed so as to cause the molten liquid, as it travels from the open mouth 214 through the ladle and into the discharge opening 210, .1

to flow in a smooth generally spiral path without turbulences which would otherwise cause the molten liquid to flow inefficiently and possibly to splash out of the ladle.

The ladle operation was discussed in great detail in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 725,466 of which this is a continuation-in-part and which is incorporated herein. However, a general discussion of the ladle operation will be given. The ladle is first dipped into a body of molten material and when substantially completely filled the ladle is thereafter brought out of the body of molten material and'rotated 180 so that the molten material may flow through the tube and ultimately into the die casting machine.

To fulfill the goal of causing the molten material to flow smoothly without turbulence the flow surface 200 is comprised of three portions: a bottom portion 200a which can be best seen in FIGS. 5 and 8, a side portion 20% which can best be seen in FIGS. 5 and 7, and a top portion 2000 which is best displayed in FIGS. 5, 6 and 9. The bottom portion 200a extends down from the lip portion 220a of lip 220, as seen in FIG. 5, in an arcuate path having a radius of curvature of 2.50R where R may be any reasonable numerical value as long as it is constant throughout the ladle, and converges with top portion 200c. The side portion 20% extends from bottom portion 200a around and below lip portion 220b of lip 220 as shown in FIG. 5 in an arcuate path having a radius of curvature of 2.25R as seen in FIG. 7 and terminates at end wall 202. The top portion200c extends around and above lip portion-220c as seen in FIG. 5 in an arcuate path having a radius of curvature of 2.00R as seen in FIG. 9 and terminates at the discharge opening 210.

Functionally as the ladle, shown in FIG. 5, is rotated around the longitudinal axis of rotation of discharge opening 210, the molten material flows relative to the ladle in a direction shown by arrows 230. As the ladle is turned counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 5, the molten material travels down bottom portion 200a and around side portion 20% and thereafter over top portion 2000 which is the underside of the ladle when the ladle is rotated 180 and finally into the discharge opening.

With the structure described above, reference is made to co-pending parent application, Ser. No. 725,466 for operational details of the ladling apparatus. A brief operational description will, however, be given and reference is made to FIG. 1.

The molten metal is delivered from the furnace 14 to the shot cylinder 24 by first pivoting the housing 44 and the ladle tube 80 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 so that the ladle member may be submerged into the liquid or molten metal. The ladle member is then filled as the molten metal flows inwardly through the open mouth 214. Upon reverse operation of the cylinder 46, the ladle assembly is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction around pivot pin 40 so as to bring the end of the tube 80 which is opposite that of the ladle member, into registration with the opening 92 of the shot cylinder 24 at point 920.

When the ladle tube 80 is positioned with respect to the shot cylinder 24 at point 920, the motor 74 is actuated'for rotating the ladle tube and therefore the ladle member from a position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 into a 180 inverted position so that top portion 2000 of flow surface 200 of the ladle member becomes the bottom portion thereof. During the progress of this rotation the molten metal flows, as shown by arrows 230, down the bottom portion 200a of flow surface 200 and across side portion 20% and thereafter over top portion 200C and finally through the tube 80 to the shot cylinder. Upon completion of this pouring operation the motor 74 is reversed and returns the ladle member to its normal upright position.

The limit switches and control device required to perform the above as well as other detailed structure is more fully disclosed in the above mentioned incorporated pending application.

Turning to FIG. 10 a portion of a modified ladling apparatus 300 is shown. It is to be understood that this apparatus provides the same function as the ladling apparatus 10 but is modified in structure so as to permit easy removal and replacement of the tube and ladle for lining purposes as discussed below.

The apparatus 300 includes a base assembly 302 which may be pivoted in a manner described below. A housing assembly 304 is disengageably mounted on base assembly 302 by screws 306 which are inserted through flange members 307 which are integrally connected to the housing and thereafter screwed into threaded bores (not shown) of the base assembly 302. A ladle assembly 308 including a tube 310 is rotatably mounted within the housing 304 and is removable from the base assembly 302 along with housing 304. The tube 310 corresponds to the previously described tube 80 and detachably carries a ladle (not shown) such as the previously described ladle 184. The housing 304 may be removed upon disengagement of screws 306 so that the internal surface of the ladle tube 310 of the ladle assembly 308 and the internal surface of the ladle member carried thereby may be lined with a suitable lining material as discussed above. A drive assembly 312 is also mounted on the base assembly 302 cooperating with the ladle assembly 308 so as to rotate the ladle assembly around the longitudinal axis of the ladle tube.

The housing assembly 304 comprises an open ended tubular housing member 314 and end plates 316 each of which is bored therethrough for receiving the ladle tube 310. The end plates are fastened to each open end of tubular member 314 by screw members 318, as seen in FIG. 12, so that the housing assembly is the sole supporting means for the ladle assembly.

The drive assembly 312 includes a motor 318 and output shaft 320 for driving a gear 322 mounted around the shaft 310. A supporting assembly 324 including pins 326 and end plate 328 is mounted to the motor 318 around shaft 320 and supports an idler member 330 which co-operates with and is driven by gear member 322. The idler member 330 is adjustably mounted to the supporting assembly 322 by an idler arm 333 which rides along a cam-shaped opening 331 of end plate 328, as seen in FIG. 12, so that the idler member can be adjustably positioned to co-operate with and drive a gear ring 332 described below. The motor may be of known construction and it may be an electric motor, or a pneumatic, or hydraulic fluid motor and is adapted to be controlled for rotating the ladle tube 310 in the manner described above.

The ladle assembly, in addition to ladle tube 310, includes gear 332 which is rigidly mounted around a cylindrical sleeve member 334 by a pair of set screws (not shown). The sleeve member, positioned around the ladle tube to the right of and just outside the housing assembly 304 as viewed in FIG. 10, is rigidly secured to the ladle tube by set screw 334a. As stated above, the gear 332 is positioned to co-operate with idler member 330 for driving the ladle assembly. Three cam rings 336, 338 and 340 are positioned around the sleeve member 334 adjacent gear member 332 and mounted to the sleeve member in the same manner as that of gear member 332 so as to be driven therewith. Each of the cam rings includes an integrally connected protruding button member or cam element 336a, 338a and 340a respectively, positioned so as to actuate a cooperating switch of an assembly of switches for controlling the ladle apparatus 300 as discussed below.

The ladle assembly 308 also includes a cylindrical drive tube 342 rigidly mounted around ladle tube 310 by set screws 344 and positioned within the housing 304. Positioned between the drive tube 342 and sleeve portion 334 of each end plate 316, are two ring-shaped bearings 346 which create openings 348 between the end plates 316 and ladle tube 310 so that the set screws 344 are free to move with the drive tube 342 and ladle tube 310. An attitude ring 350 is positioned around the ladle tube 310 to the left of and adjacent the housing assembly 304 as viewed in FIG. 10. The attitude ring is rigidly mounted to the ladle tube by set screw 352 and contains an indent 354 which may more readily be seen in FIG. 11. The indent co-operates with an alignment screw 356 which is rigidly mounted within an end surface of drive tube 342 for preventing slippage between the ladle tube'3l0 and drive tube. 342 if, for example, the set screws 344 were to become loose.

Turning to FIG. 13, the base assembly 302 including a cylindrical shaft 360 mounted thereto, is capable of being pivoted by a pivoting assembly 362 about a longitudinal axis of the shaft 360 which is traverse to the longitudinal axis of ladle tube 310. The pivoting assembly comprises a cylinder assembly 364 including a complementary piston 366 which is connected to the shaft 360 through an assembly of connections 368 as shown in FIG. 13 for rotation of the shaft. The cylinder assembly, which may be of a conventional type such as electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic, when energized by a control device described below, causes the piston 366 to move either inwardly or outwardly with respect to the cylinder 364 thus causing the assembly of connections 368 to rotate the shaft 360 and therefore pivot the housing assembly 304.

Switches 370, 371 and 372 are mounted on a switch housing 374 which is attached to the base assembly 302 by means not shown. Each switches 370, 371 and 372 is positioned below and co-operates with a cam ring 336, 338 and 340 respectively, as described above, for actuating a control device (not shown). The switches and control device form a part of an overall electrical or fluid control system as the case may be which is adaptedto control not only the motor 318 but also the pivoting assembly 362. The switches and control device control the ladling apparatus 300 so as to function in the same manner as ladle apparatus discussed with respect to FIG. 1 and the ladle apparatus of the above mentioned parent application, the only differences being the physical positioning of the individual components.

Briefly, the pivoting assembly 362 is energized to pivot the base assembly 302 and therefore the ladle assembly 308 so as to dip the ladle into a bath of molten metal'(not shown). The switches and control device thereafter function to reverse the operation of the pivoting assembly 362 after an interval of time which is sufiicient to insure complete filling of the ladle member. This causes the ladle assembly tobe pivoted in the opposite direction and thereafter the motor 318 is energized for rotating the ladle assembly and therefore the ladle member about the longitudinal axis of the ladle tube 310. Rotation of the ladle assembly continues until the cam rings 336, 338 and 340 appropriately actuate the switches 370, 371 and 372 which energizes the control device for reversing the motor 318.

As stated above, it becomes periodically necessary to line the internal surface of ladle tube 310 and the internal surface of the ladle member with suitable lining material so as to prevent molten metal from sticking thereto. This may be done by disengaging the housing assembly 304 which carries the ladle assembly 308 from the base assembly 302 since the idler gear 330 engages the gear 332 beneath the horizontal axis of the gear 332 and since the control switches are located beneath the cam rings, removal of the ladle assembly 308 may beaccomplished without interfering with, or being obstructed by any other members of the ladle apparatus. This allows rapid removal of the ladle tube 310 and ladle member for lining and also rapid re-engagement thereof.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it is obvious that many structural details may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

I. A ladle for use in a ladling apparatus comprising a hollow body member having side wall means, flow surface means and liquid inlet opening mouth means, a discharge funnel section integral with said side wall means, and means defining a fluid discharge opening for said funnel section and adapted for removable connection with complementary means for supporting the ladle for rotation substantially about the axis of said discharge opening, said liquid inlet opening mouth means including a front lip, two side lips and a back lip, and wherein said flow surface means includes a bottom portion extending down from said front lip and around the bottom of said body member in an arcuate path, a side portion extending around and below one of the side lips of said mouth means in an arcuate path and a top portion extending around and above the back lip of said mouth means in an arcuate path and into said discharge opening for causing a liquid being dispersed to flow through said ladle in a generally smooth spiral path when said ladle is rotated about said axis.

2. A ladle for use in a ladling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the arcuate path of said top portion has a radius of curvature smaller than a radius of curvature of said side portion and the radius of curvature of said side portion is smaller than a radius of curvature of said bottom portion.

3. A ladle for use in a ladling apparatus according to claim 2 wherein: said front lip extends in a horizontal direction along the front of said body member and parallel to the axis of said discharge opening; one of said side lips extends upwardly, at a slight incline, from one side of said front lip, perpendicular therewith and perpendicular to said axis; the other side lip extends in a horizontal direction from theother side of said front lip, perpendicular therewith andperpendicular to said axis; and said back lip extends from the first mentioned side lip in a horizontal direction and curves down to meet the second mentioned side lip.

4. A ladling apparatus comprising a ladle member, means supporting said ladle member for up and down movement and for rotation around a generally horizontal axis between a lowered filling position and an elevated dispensing position, and means for actuating said ladle member for dipping it to said filling position into the liquid to be dispensed and for then raising and rotating the ladle member to said dispensing position for dispensing the liquid therein, said ladle member including a hollow body portion comprising open filling mouth means facing generally upwardly when the ladle is in said lowered filling position, the lateral discharge funnel section defining a discharge opening substantially in alignment with said axis and generally at a level above said mouth means when the ladle is in said lowered filling position, and flow surface means between said mouth means and said funnel section for causing generally turbulent-free flow of liquid through the ladle in a smooth spiral path when said ladle is rotated about said axis for dispensing the liquid.

5. A ladling apparatus comprising base means, housing means disengageably mounted on said base means, a ladle assembly including a ladle tube extending through and supported for rotation about its longitudinal axis, by said housing means and adapted to support a ladle member at one end thereof, and drive means mounted on said base means and cooperating with said ladle assembly for rotating said ladle tube around said axis, a first gear fixed on said ladle tube and rotatable therewith, and said drive means including a second gear drivingly engaging said first gear and mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to said longitudinal axis and being positioned with respect to said housing means and said ladle assembly to allow free unobstructed engagement and disengagement of the first and second gears upon engagement and disengagement of the housing means and ladle assembly with respect to saidbase means.

6. A ladling apparatus according to claim including actuating means mounted to said base means and cooperating with said ladle assembly for energizing said motor means whereby said ladle tube is rotated, said actuating means being positioned with respect to said housing means and said ladle assembly means to allow free unobstructed disengagement of said housing means and ladle assembly means.

7. A ladling apparatus comprising base means, housing means disengageably mounted on said base means, ladle assembly means including a ladle member and a ladle tube for supporting said ladle member at one end thereof, said ladle tube extending through and being supported by said housing means for rotation around a generally horizontal axis, and drive means mounted on said base means and cooperable with said ladle assembly for rotating the ladle member around said axis, a gear mounted on and rotatable with said ladle tube, said drive means including gear means cooperating with said gear and motor means for driving said gears, said drive means being positioned with respect to said housing means and said ladle assembly and said first mentioned gear to allow free unobstructed disengagement of said housing means and ladle assembly means from said base means, and means for pivoting said base means in one direction around an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said ladle tube whereby said ladle member is in a lowered position, and in an opposite direction whereby said ladle member is in an elevated position. 

1. A ladle for use in a ladling apparatus comprising a hollow body member having side wall means, flow surface means and liquid inlet opening mouth means, a discharge funnel section integral with said side wall means, and means defining a fluid discharge opening for said funnel section and adapted for removable connection with complementary means for supporting the ladle for rotation substantially about the axis of said discharge opening, said liquid inlet opening mouth means including a front lip, two side lips and a back lip, and wherein said flow surface means includes a bottom portion extending down from said front lip and around the bottom of said body member in an arcuate path, a side portion extending around and below one of the side lips of said mouth means in an arcuate path and a top portion extending around and above the back lip of said mouth means in an arcuate path and into said discharge opening for causing a liquid being dispersed to flow through said ladle in a generally smooth spiral path when said ladle is rotated about said axis.
 2. A ladle for use in a ladling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the arcuate path of said top portion has a radius of curvature smaller than a radius of curvature of said side portion and the radius of curvature of said side portion is smaller than a radius of curvature of said bottom portion.
 3. A ladle for use in a ladling apparatus according to claim 2 wherein: said front lip extends in a horizontal direction along the front of said body member and parallel to the axis of said discharge opening; one of said side lips extends upwardly, at a slight incline, from one side of said front lip, perpendicular therewith and perpendicular to said axis; the other side lip extends in a horizontal direction from the other side of said front lip, perpendicular therewith and perpendicular to said axis; and said back lip extends from the first mentioned side lip in a horizontal direction and curves down to meet the second mentioned side lip.
 4. A ladling apparatus comprising a ladle member, means supporting said ladle member for up and down movement and for rotation around a generally horizontal axis between a lowered filling position and an elevated dispensing position, and means for actuating said ladle member for dipping it to said filling position into the liquid to be dispensed and for then raising and rotating the ladle member to said dispensing position for dispensing the liquid therein, said ladle member including a hollow body portion comprising open filling mouth means facing generally upwardly when the ladle is in said lowered filling position, the lateral discharge funnel section defining a discharge opening substantially in alignment with said axis and generally at a level above said mouth means when the ladle is in said lowered filling position, and flow surface means between said mouth means and said funnel section for causing generally turbulent-free flow of liquid through the ladle in a smooth spiral path when said ladle is rotated about said axis for dispensing the liquid.
 5. A ladling apparatus comprising base means, housing means disengageably mounted on said base means, a ladle assembly including a ladle tube extending through and supported for rotation about its longitudinal axis by said housing means anD adapted to support a ladle member at one end thereof, and drive means mounted on said base means and cooperating with said ladle assembly for rotating said ladle tube around said axis, a first gear fixed on said ladle tube and rotatable therewith, and said drive means including a second gear drivingly engaging said first gear and mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to said longitudinal axis and being positioned with respect to said housing means and said ladle assembly to allow free unobstructed engagement and disengagement of the first and second gears upon engagement and disengagement of the housing means and ladle assembly with respect to said base means.
 6. A ladling apparatus according to claim 5 including actuating means mounted to said base means and co-operating with said ladle assembly for energizing said motor means whereby said ladle tube is rotated, said actuating means being positioned with respect to said housing means and said ladle assembly means to allow free unobstructed disengagement of said housing means and ladle assembly means.
 7. A ladling apparatus comprising base means, housing means disengageably mounted on said base means, ladle assembly means including a ladle member and a ladle tube for supporting said ladle member at one end thereof, said ladle tube extending through and being supported by said housing means for rotation around a generally horizontal axis, and drive means mounted on said base means and cooperable with said ladle assembly for rotating the ladle member around said axis, a gear mounted on and rotatable with said ladle tube, said drive means including gear means cooperating with said gear and motor means for driving said gears, said drive means being positioned with respect to said housing means and said ladle assembly and said first mentioned gear to allow free unobstructed disengagement of said housing means and ladle assembly means from said base means, and means for pivoting said base means in one direction around an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said ladle tube whereby said ladle member is in a lowered position, and in an opposite direction whereby said ladle member is in an elevated position. 